Tried freeCodeCamp vs Codecademy for 2 weeks and the difference is huge

Honestly I started with Codecademy because everyone says it's beginner friendly but after 14 days I was stuck on loops. Switched to freeCodeCamp and finished their JavaScript basics in 10 days. The big thing was freeCodeCamp makes you build real projects from day 1 instead of just clicking through multiple choice questions. I actually built a fortune cookie generator by my second week. Has anyone else noticed one resource click way better than another for how you learn?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathang676d ago

Yo, did Codecademy actually teach you what loops are for or did it just show you the syntax? I had the exact same problem with it. The multiple choice thing is the worst because you can guess your way through without actually learning. freeCodeCamp forcing me to build stuff is what finally made it click for me too. I remember spending a whole weekend just building a random quote machine and when I got it working I actually understood what I did. It's wild how different teaching styles work for different people but for me having to actually type out everything and debug it myself is the only way I retain anything.

adams826d ago

Wait, does Codecademy still use that multiple choice stuff for coding? I remember flying through their JavaScript course feeling like a genius and then realizing I couldn't actually write a single line of code on my own. It's like learning to drive by watching someone else turn the wheel. freeCodeCamp hitting you with that blank editor screen with no handholding is the reality check everyone needs. Building stuff and breaking it over and over is the only real way to learn this stuff. Plus the struggle of debugging your own mess makes it stick forever.